By Raïssa Robles
Julian Assange, Wikileaks founder
Just minutes ago, Wikileaks flooded the Internet through Twitter with a HUGE release of cables from various US Embassies.
One of them entitled – Law enforcement corruption in the Philippines – was allegedly written by senior US embassy diplomat Joseph Mussomeli.
The cable caught my attention because it mentioned a familiar name – Mike Arroyo, the former First Gentleman.
Read for yourself what he allegedly did. And if you think of what’s being investigated right now about the helicopters he had used ending up being bought as “brand new” by the Philippine National Police, then you would want to dig into this further.
I had heard of this before, but there was no proof.
Read for yourself and see if the alleged modus operandi sounds familiar: :
¶15. (SBU) PNP officials have cited the example of a controversial procurement decision in 2003 to replace existing stocks of 9mm handguns with caliber .45 1911-A1 pistols. In a 20-million peso ($377,358) contract, the PNP amended its 1995 specifications for caliber .45 handguns. This change caused gun dealers to complain that the changes were made to allow only the purchase of model 1911-A1 pistols made by Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor). Gun dealers grumbled that the PNP sought to “change the rules to favor the company owned by (First Gentleman) Mike Arroyo’s first cousin” (Demetrio “Bolo” Tuason). One disgruntled gun dealer commented that “if this isn’t tailoring specs to favor Armscor, then I don’t know what is.” Gun dealers also complained that, in tests conducted by the PNP in October and November 2003, the Armscor pistols’ safety broke during the drop test and jammed at 3,000 rounds, when the PNP’s minimum for an endurance test is 5,000 rounds. During training conducted in 2005 in the Philippines by Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-West personnel, trainers commented that the Armscor .45s were unreliable, inaccurate, and potentially dangerous to the operator. Nevertheless, Armscor remains an approved supplier to the PNP.
To read the entire cable, click on this link.
Felipe D. Rosales says
This mike Arroyo should be investigated further for corruption by the Duterte administration deeply & without any more delays.
Rallie F. Cruz says
The former first gentleman is a man of international fame considering the amount of wealth he is always involved. So, it will never be a surprise to me if deals like that is mentioned.
I know however, that smuggling lords, war lords, drug lords, crime lords are usually prime movers whose names hardly (if never) appear unless some determined to die for it will take steps.
So, to my observations, Mr. Arroyo is still a Saint by standard as his name always appear as if he is merely an intercessor for the unforeseen lord/s.
Comparable to St. Jude Thaddeus as Patron Saint of the “impossible.(” allegations always impossible to prove.”)